Bounty Hunters Do It Better
by WaffleDogOfficial
Summary: Sakura only wanted a fun night out. But when her idiot teammates insult the richest man in Oto, all she gets is a whiny stowaway instead.
1. We met in a bar

**Written for Naruto Sci-Fi Week Day 3- Bounty Hunters.**

**O-O-O-O-O**

Sakura was getting tired of Naruto and Sasuke throwing themselves over each other. No matter the time of day, they always seemed to be arguing, flirting, making out, having loud sex, or a combination of all four.

Meanwhile, Sakura could barely remember the last time she had slept with anyone. All she remembered was that it had been sad and disappointing. Her partner hadn't lasted more than a few minutes before falling asleep. He had snuck away in the morning before Sakura had even woken up.

She had been alone ever since then, unable to a lot of time to herself on each planet they landed on. The few times they spent more than a few hours on a planet, chaos inevitably ensued. She ended up fighting for her life, apologizing for Naruto and Sasuke, or patching them up.

"You looked nice on the mission, ya know," Naruto said to Sasuke, a flirty grin on his face. "The suit accentuated your ass."

"Hn. If you say," Sasuke replied with a smirk.

"That planet was a kinda dry though. Made me thirsty."

"Thirsty? In that case, I think I have something for you in my room."

"Ooh, do you? Care to share?"

_Those two are sickening._

Sakura blocked out the rest of their conversation on principle. She looked at Kakashi on the pilot's seat. Cruising through space, he was relaxed in his chair, reading one of the erotic books Naruto had gifted him. Either he wasn't listening to their conversation, or he had the best poker face in the world.

Sakura sighed. _Why am I the only normal one in Team 7?_

"How long till we get to Oto?" she asked in order to redirect the conversation. "We just have to turn in the egg and get our money, right?"

"Around an hour more, I think," Kakashi answered without looking up. "We could do a warp jump and get there instantly, but there's no point. Orochimaru will make us wait anyway and we would just use up valuable fuel.

"Only an hour? I don't think that's enough time for Sasuke and me," Naruto commented without shame.

"It's enough for now, Naruto," Sasuke said as he kissed Naruto on the neck.

Sakura watched the sight with a combination of disgust and jealousy. _I can't believe I'm the only single one here. Even Kakashi has his lover back home._

"Don't be loud!" Sakura yelled as they walked out of the control room and toward their bedroom. "If you can't keep the volume low, I'll bust into your room and dump ice water on both of you!"

Naruto chuckled in embarrassment while Sasuke only shifted a perfect eyebrow up. Sakura glared at them until they nodded reluctantly. They turned around and walked to their room, locking the door behind them. Sakura glared at the door in frustration. _Damn it. I've been single for too long._

Trying not to feel too sorry for herself, she leaned back in her chair and stared at the vastness of space. She checked the control panel, but there was nothing for her to do until they made landfall. The only thing Sakura could do was wait.

_I really need a night for myself._

**O-O-O-O-O**

To her eternal relief, Naruto and Sasuke were not as loud as she had dreaded. A few minutes before arrival, they emerged from their room wearing self-satisfied smirks. Sakura wanted to punch their pretty little faces.

"So how much longer till we get there, Kakashi?" Naruto said as he looked at the control panels. It was pointless on his part. Only Sakura and Kakashi understood how to pilot the _Kurama_.

"About three more minutes, Naruto," Kakashi answered. "Sit down and buckle up, we're approaching the atmosphere."

Obediently, both Naruto and Sasuke buckled up in the passengers' seat. Sakura followed suit as she sat down in the co-pilot chair. Flipping switches and pushing buttons, she prepared for their arrival at the airstrip. They landed with only a slight tremor.

"Finally!" Naruto shouted with a grin as he unbuckled himself. "Let's turn in the egg! I wanna get paid already!"

"Slow down, idiot," Sasuke yelled as he too unbuckled himself. "All of us will go together."

"You three kids can go," Kakashi said. "I'll wait for you here. Someone has to make sure the ship doesn't get stolen."

_Liar! You just want to stay here and read your book! _Sakura pouted and glared at Kakashi. Their captain ignored her with a skill developed after years of working together. Spending time on the same ship as Naruto and Sasuke was bad enough with Kakashi at her side to commiserate. Spending time with them with no one else there was practically torture.

"Orochimaru always makes people wait," Kakashi said as he flipped a page of his book. "You cute little kids can spend time at a bar while you wait for your appointment. I'm sure you can find interesting people there."

Sakura's heart began to beat faster in her chest. "New people?" Sakura asked. "If we meet someone interesting, I don't suppose it's possible to.. Uh..."

"If you meet anyone interesting, you can bring them to the ship," Kakashi commented, focused on his book. "I'm sure you can have a lot of fun."

_Thank you, Kakashi._ Without waiting for anyone to respond, Sakura grabbed Naruto and Sasuke's arms. She began pulling them out of the control room and out through the exit.

"We might take a while, Kakashi!" she shouted cheerfully as her teammates protested at being pulled away like children. "I'll make sure everything goes well!"

"I trust you, Sakura," Kakashi commented. "But..."

"But?" Sakura looked back at her captain.

"Shouldn't you take the egg with you?"

Sakura's face reddened. She walked back to Kakashi, who was holding the egg out to her. She handed it to Naruto, who immediately placed it inside his jacket.

Without any other words, Sakura ran out of the ship. She was going to get laid that night even if it killed her.

**O-O-O-O-O**

"How long do we need to wait again?" Sakura asked the grey-haired man with glasses.

"Only five hours or so," the man answered with a smile. "Lord Orochimaru is a little occupied right now. I can send someone to fetch you when your appointment time is ready."

"Where can we wait?" Sasuke asked.

The man gave Sasuke a speculative look before answering. "This street belongs to Lord Orochimaru. You may spend your time at any of the businesses here. We will find you when it's your time."

"Sure," Naruto said with a shrug. "Let's go guys. I saw a bar on the corner! You can always find desperate people in a bar, Sakura!"

"Who said I want someone desperate!?" Sakura yelled while hitting Naruto on the head.

From the corner of her eye, Sakura could see Sasuke shaking his head with a sigh. Before she had a chance to yell at him, he walked farther away. Naruto followed next to him, wiping imaginary tears from the corners of his eyes. Grumbling, the three of them walked to the bar.

It was more crowded than Sakura had expected. Aliens from all different planets were spread throughout the room, drinking, chatting, and dancing. Sakura searched desperately, looking for anyone promising. However, everyone she saw looked too drunk, too creepy, or too tentacle-y for her tastes.

With a sigh of disappointment, she walked to the bar and sat down. Naruto and Sasuke followed behind her, sitting together next to her. The bartender was bent over, looking for something under the counter.

"A beer, please," Sakura said with a defeated sigh. "From Konoha, if you have it. Mizu brand if you don't."

"We have Konoha beer," the bartender answered as she stood up. "What can I get for you two gentlemen?"

Sakura's jaw dropped. In front of her was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen in her life.

Her long platinum-blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail at the back of her head. Long bangs covered half her face. She was wearing a purple halter top that showcased her large breasts perfectly. Her bright blue eyes were sharp and full of intelligence. Her nose was small and straight, a light brushing of freckles on top.

Sakura wanted to run her hands through her long hair and kiss her perfect pink lips forever. She wanted to push her against the wall and make her scream. She wanted to bury her face in her breasts. She wanted to hear her moan and call out her name. She wanted—

Sakura felt a sharp and sudden pain in her ribs. She turned to Naruto with a scowl. Naruto only grinned sheepishly while Sasuke raised an eyebrow to stare at her. She saw that Naruto and Sasuke were already served and nursing their own bottles of beer in their hands. Sakura frowned at both of them, a slight blush on her face.

"Sorry, what was that?" she asked the bartender.

"I asked if you would like a glass or if you prefer to drink straight from the bottle," the woman said with a knowing smirk. Sakura's blush intensified, but she refused to look away from the goddess in front of her.

"A small glass, please," Sakura answered. In the back of her mind, she realized she should have taken a shower before leaving the ship._ God, I hope I don't smell bad._

"Of course, darling, here you go," the woman said as she placed a bottle of beer and a glass in front of her. "Let me know if you need anything, okay?"

She winked at Sakura and Sakura felt like her heart had skipped a beat.

"Thank you," Sakura said, adopting her most seductive voice. The bartender threw her a grin before using a rag to clean the counter. Despite the other patrons, she remained in front of Sakura.

"Are you from Konoha?" the bartender asked them as she cleaned up. Although the question was for all three of them, her eyes remained focused on Sakura.

"How did you know?" Naruto asked with excitement. Sakura kicked him from under the counter. Naruto flinched and threw Sakura a dirty look. Sakura glared back. _If you ruin this for me, I will end you!_

Naruto's face paled, and he took a sip of his beer, moving his stool closer to Sasuke's. Sasuke wrapped an arm around Naruto protectively.

"We are," Sakura said, a smile on her lips.

"I'm actually from Konoha!" the bartender said as she placed clean glasses under the counter.

"You are? And what's a pretty woman like you doing so far away from Konoha?" Sakura asked.

The woman laughed. "If I have to be honest... money," she answered with a chuckle. "Lord Orochimaru pays really well! I've been saving my paychecks for years so I can go back and visit my father. Maybe I'll do some traveling after that. And what about you?" She placed the palms of her hands on the counter. "What are you doing so far from Konoha?"

"We're collectors and bounty hunters," Sakura answered. She leaned forward to close the distance. "We find people or things for our clients and get a little spending money in return."

"That sounds interesting," the woman said as she leaned closer until they were almost nose to nose. Sakura ached to close the gap between them.

"What's your name, beautiful?" Sakura asked.

"Ino," she answered. "I never got any of your names."

"My name is Sakura," she said, keeping her gaze focused on Ino. "Those two are my teammates: Naruto and Sasuke."

"Yo! I'm Naruto!" Naruto answered with a grin. Sasuke remained silent but nodded at the introduction.

"Nice to meet you." Ino gave them a cursory glance before her eyes became focused on Sakura again.

"Likewise," Sakura answered.

Ino grinned and returned to work, preparing drinks and cleaning up. Sakura watched her work as she sipped her beer, hypnotized. Even while doing mundane activities, she had a special grace and power that she rarely saw in anyone.

"You know, my shift ends in a few minutes," Ino said when Sakura had nearly finished her beer.

"Oh? Shall I wait for you?" Sakura raised an eyebrow and grinned at her.

"If you want. Your place or mine?"

"Which one is closer? Our ship is parked in the landing area around the corner."

"Your place, then," Ino answered. "Wait for me and we can go."

With that final statement, Ino smiled before entering a room marked 'Employees Only.'

Sakura sighed into what remained of her drink. _God, she's perfect. It's almost a shame it's only for a night._

"So, you got your someone, then?" Naruto asked.

Sakura frowned at them. "I'll try to finish as fast as possible. I want to make sure you two don't mess up the negotiations. I'm tired of apologizing for you two being idiots."

"Don't worry about us, Sakura," Sasuke said. "We can take care of the deal ourselves."

"Yeah, Sakura!" Naruto yelled. "It'll be easy! We just hand over the egg, this guy gives us the money, we say goodbye, and then we head off into space! What could go wrong, ya know?"

Sakura bit her lip. "I dunno... You two have a terrible track record with negotiating..."

"We'll be okay!" Naruto said cheerfully. "It's just an exchange! Take as much time as you need with Ino! She seemed really nice and pretty."

"Are you ready, darling?" Ino said as she returned, clutching a small purse in front of her chest. "I don't know where your ship is, so you need to lead the way."

Sakura's eyes softened as she saw the beautiful woman once again. "Of course, beautiful. I'm ready."

She stood up from the bar to stand at Ino's side before turning around to look at Naruto and Sasuke one last time.

"Are you sure you two can handle it?" she asked worriedly.

Naruto snorted and waved a hand in front of his face. "Of course we can! It's an easy mission! Just enjoy your time! We can wait for you to finish before we leave!"

"Go, Sakura," Sasuke added, face as serious as usual.

Sakura bit her lip. Part of her was telling her to refuse Ino's offer and babysit her teammates. However, a larger part of herself was telling her to leave and take Ino to the ship. She shook her head.

"Call Kakashi if anything happens," she said as she grabbed onto Ino's arm. "And be careful!"

As she left the bar, Naruto nodded excitedly while Sasuke rolled his eyes. Sakura swallowed, a frown on her face. _It's only an exchange. There is no way they can mess it up._

**O-O-O-O-O**

"Wow! I've never been in a collector's ship before!" Ino gushed as they walked up the stairs up into the command center.

Sakura giggled. "It's not much," she admitted. "We're a team of four, so we have limited room. My room is small. I hope you won't mind."

"Don't worry, my room is pretty small, too. We can..." Ino quieted as she looked at something over Sakura's shoulder.

"Yo!" Kakashi said, looking out from behind his book.

"Kakashi!" Sakura yelled. "What are you doing?"

"Relaxing. Who is this friend?"

"Her name is Ino," Sakura answered before turning to Ino. "Ino, this is our captain, Kakashi. He's old and lazy, but I think he's a pretty good captain overall."

"That's not fair, Sakura!" Kakashi protested. "What kind of thing is that to say about your captain?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Don't listen to him, Ino." She grabbed onto Ino's hand, enjoying the warmth. "Let's just go to my room."

"Stay safe!" Kakashi yelled at their retreating backs. Sakura fought back the impulse to turn and yell back.

Holding hands, Sakura pulled Ino away from the loading area toward her bedroom. She slipped inside, pulling Ino behind her. Immediately, she collapsed on the bed with a sigh.

"Sorry about the interruption," Sakura said. "Kakashi is a little nosy sometimes."

Ino laughed. "That's all right. Because now I have you all to myself."

Before Sakura had a chance to prepare herself, Ino was in front of her, staring into Sakura's eyes. Sakura blinked in surprise but smiled mischievously. She placed her palm on Ino's cheek. _It's such a shame that it's only for one night._

Without hesitating, she closed her eyes and broke the gap, planting a soft kiss on Ino's lips. She moved her hand up Ino's face to comb through her hair. It was softer than she had imagined. She heard a soft moan escape from Ino. Sakura's lips twitched up in happiness.

Seeing her chance, Ino boldly pushed Sakura back. With a yelp, Sakura landed with her back onto the mattress. She opened her eyes. The view was breathtaking.

Ino was flushed, her face only a few inches away. Sakura moved her face up to meet her lips while Ino pushed her body closer and closer to Sakura.

"Are you having fun?" Ino whispered in her ear.

Sakura nodded desperately, already feeling her heart beating faster and faster. _God, I really wish you could stay._

**O-O-O-O-O**

The emergency alarm woke Sakura up with a start. She jolted up in bed, terrified and confused as her mind ran a mile a minute.

"Sakura?" she felt soft arms wrapped around her and heard a small voice calling her name next to her.

She focused her eyes to look at Ino. They were both naked, having fallen asleep in each other's arms. Ino, who had looked so well-groomed and beautiful at the bar, was now shaking and terrified. _Shit. She's still here._

Sakura spared her a glance before she jumped out of the bed, ran to her closet, pulled out an overly large shirt, and threw it on. She didn't bother with underwear as she ran out of the room and into the command center.

Kakashi was already there, pushing buttons and flipping switches in order to get the ship off the ground. Naruto and Sasuke were manning the weapons center, fighting off what looked like an attack from Oto.

"Kakashi! What's the status report?" Sakura yelled as she plopped herself down in her usual seat as co-pilot.

"We're under attack," Kakashi said nonchalantly as Naruto and Sasuke yelled over each other.

"I can see that," Sakura said with gritted teeth. "Why?"

"I don't know," Kakashi said, brow furrowed in concentration as he took control of the ship.

"It was Naruto's fault!" Sasuke shouted from his seat.

"Nuh-uh! It's all Sasuke's fault, ya know!" Naruto retorted as he shot at the approaching enemies.

Sakura didn't care. The only thing she knew was that they had to escape. Expertly, she took control over her section of the command center.

"Warp speed?" she asked.

"What a waste of fuel," Kakashi complained with a sigh. "But sure. I guess."

Sakura didn't hesitate. Flipping a few more switches, she charged the engines. She heard screams as everyone was pushed back by the speed and power of entering a warp without preparation. The ship flew, out of their control, for a few seconds before arriving somewhere in the middle of space.

Sakura let out a breath to calm herself and looked out of the ship's window to see the vast emptiness. She bowed her head. She forced herself to inhale and exhale until her breathing was back under control. When her body finally felt like her own again, she squeezed her knees before she spun around to glare at her teammates.

"What the fuck happened?!" she screamed. "Didn't you promise me that it was going to be easy and that I could trust you?! You two are idiots! Kakashi and I should just leave you on a deserted planet and never come back!"

To her satisfaction, Naruto and Sasuke both exchanged sheepish glances before looking down at the floor.

"It was Sasuke's fault," Naruto grumbled, keeping his eyes fixated on the floor.

"It kind of was," Sasuke admitted. He didn't look as repentant, but there was still a twinge of guilt in his expression.

Kakashi sighed as he spun his chair to look at Naruto and Sasuke. "What happened boys?"

Sasuke opened his mouth as if to explain before reconsidering. "Naruto can tell the story."

Naruto sighed and looked up from the floor to stare at Sakura and Kakashi in turn. Tiredly, he sprawled back in his chair and covered his eyes with his forearm.

"It all started when that guy with the grey hair and glasses came to us," Naruto began. "Apparently, that Orochimaru guy or whatever was ready to pay."

"Here's where the first mistake happened," he continued. "We were kinda drunk. Honestly, we still kinda are. I think the adrenaline just helped burn some of the alcohol off, ya know."

At that last statement, Sasuke nodded, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Sakura glared at her teammates. _Why the fuck were you getting drunk during work hours?_ She motioned for Naruto to continue the story.

"So then, when that Orochimaru guy met with us, he was looking at Sasuke kind of weird. I mean, I kind of get it, cause, like, he's super hot and stuff, but it was maybe too excessive. Anyway, so I turn in the egg and the guy hands over an envelope full of cash."

"So everything went well?" Sakura asked.

Naruto and Sasuke both shook their heads. "Then while we were leaving, he started saying weird things to Sasuke," Naruto said. "About how Sasuke should stay in Oto and learn under him and get stronger and blah, blah, blah."

"So then the idiot says 'hey, Sasuke is mine, so fuck off,'" Sasuke says.

"You didn't," Kakashi says, slapping a hand on top of his face.

"Is that why we were under attack?" Sakura asked.

Naruto shook his head. "No, I think the guy thought it was funny that I called Sasuke mine. Sasuke and me were just gonna leave. Then, the creep says something like 'well, Sasuke if you ever move on from idiots, you always have a place here in Oto.' And then, Sasuke just lost it. Instead of saying anything, he just jumped in front of him and punched the asshole in the face."

Kakashi and Sakura cringed. _Yeah, that's one way to get a rich man to chase you down._

"I wasn't gonna let him get away with calling Naruto an idiot," Sasuke said in his defense. His face reddened, and he looked away.

"But you call him stupid every day!" Sakura said. "And I call him an idiot at least once a week. You never say anything to me!"

"It's different when _we _say it," Sasuke said, his blush deepening as he snuck a furtive glance at Naruto. It made Sakura want to throw up.

She sighed. "Anyway, continue."

"I was in shock, to say the least," Naruto said. "I already had the money, so I just grabbed Sasuke's hand, called Kakashi in panic, and ran back here. And then... well, you were there for the rest. Orochimaru's minions tried to take our ship down and capture us, but we managed to get away!"

"You mean_ Kakashi and I_ managed to get _us_ away," Sakura grumbled as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"We manned the weapons," Sasuke added in his defense.

Sakura snorted. "So we got paid at least?"

"Yeah, just as agreed," Sasuke said. "In Konoha cash too. I don't even know where he got that. He didn't look like he came from Konoha."

Kakashi shrugged. "Well, at least we got the money, even though we lost a client."

Sakura nodded in agreement, sighed, and leaned back in her chair. She needed a drink, a shower, and a nap. She closed her eyes, trying to remain positive and failing.

"Sakura?" a soft voice called out her name.

Sakura opened her eyes. Ino was standing at the doorway, unsure. She had put her clothes back on, although her face was smudged with makeup and her hair was a tangled mess. Sakura felt the blood leave her face. _How the fuck did I forget about Ino?!_

"Ino?"

"Sakura?" Ino bit her lip and Sakura's heart beat faster at the sight, despite the circumstances. "What happened? Can you drop me off back at the bar? I'm scared..."

Sakura flinched guiltily. She had only wanted one night of passion.

"Ino... I... I'm sorry, but I don't know how I can take you back," she admitted.

"What!" Ino shouted. "Can't take me back? Why? How?"

"We can't go back to Oto," Sasuke said coldly, "because I punched Orochimaru in the face."

At that announcement, silence fell over all five of them. Ino's face paled, and she collapsed on the floor. Concerned, Sakura ran to her side.

"W-what? Ino! Ino! Stay with me!" she ordered as she took Ino in her arms. In the back of her mind, she remembered that she was wearing only an overly large shirt.

"Bu-but... there must be a way..." Ino whispered before shifting her gaze to Kakashi. "Take me back! All my stuff is back there! I've been slaving away for years! I have to go back!"

"I...I don't know if we can," Kakashi admitted. "We'd be shot down if we tried to return, you along with us."

Complete silence befell the ship. Sakura could only hear the constant hum of the engine and the purification system. Then, to make the situation worse, Ino burst into tears.

"Wait, Ino!" Sakura tried to grab onto her, but it was too late. Ino pushed herself away from Sakura's arms and ran back to her room, slamming the door closed behind her.

Sakura walked to the door. She could hear Ino sobbing inside. She tried to open the door and enter, but it was already locked.

_Kicked out of my own fucking room._

Sakura turned back at her teammates, who were observing her sheepishly. She plopped herself back in her chair.

"I don't suppose I can borrow any of your clothes?" she asked._ When I wished for her to stay, I didn't mean it like this!_

**O-O-O-O-O**

**A/N: Thanks for reading! This is a 3 chapter series where every chapter has a different prompt based on Naruto Sci-Fi Week.**

**Next chapter: Sakura misses her room.**


	2. I took her home

**Written for Naruto Sci-Fi Week Day 4- Across Space and Time.**

**O-O-O-O-O**

_I miss my bed and my shampoo._

Ever since their escape, Ino had been cooped up in Sakura's bedroom. With a strong sense of guilt, Sakura had let her do so, not protesting at all at being locked out of her own room. She had been unable to get a change of clothes and had been forced to use the community bathroom.

Her teammates, at the very least, had been sympathetic to her plight. They had let her borrow their clothes and had made sure to clean the community bathroom much more often. To cheer her up, Kakashi had made her favorite anko dumplings, despite the time and effort they took to make. However, after a week in which Ino refused to come out, the situation was becoming dire.

_This is getting annoying._

Sakura pressed her ear against the door of her bedroom and strained to hear. The first day, she had heard sobbing from inside but after that, almost complete silence. She tried to open the door, turning the handle tentatively. Instead of opening and letting her in, the door remained locked.

Sakura groaned in frustration. _Come out already!_

"Ino..." she began, speaking to the door. "I know you're mad. And I understand. But... you really need to come out. You can't stay locked up in someone else's room forever."

She waited, but despite the plea, no one answered. Sakura resisted the urge to kick the door down. She balled her hands into fists. She stomped to the galley, where her teammates were enjoying breakfast. She slumped down on a dining chair and pressed her forehead down on the table.

"Still no answer?" Naruto asked, chewing on some noodles.

Sakura shook her head. Naruto winced in sympathy. Sakura turned her gaze up to look at him. He was already clean and showered, looking well-rested. _He probably slept in an actual bed, that asshole._

"This is all your fault," she grumbled. "If you hadn't gotten into a fight with Orochimaru, she would be back in Oto and we would be on our way to our next mission."

"Actually, Sasuke was the one who punched him," Naruto said.

"He was asking for it," Sasuke replied.

Sakura sighed. _Why am I the one suffering the most from their actions?_

"We're already on our way back to Konoha," Kakashi mentioned, his face covered by a book. "She should know that she will be back home soon."

"I tried telling her, but she didn't reply!" Sakura whined. "That woman is so... so... ugh! I don't even know, Kakashi-sensei."

"We need to know where she lives," Kakashi said. "That way we can land at what's closest to her before going our own way."

Sakura placed her forehead down on the table again. She took in a deep breath, but instead of calming her, it made her blood boil._ How dare she ignore me for so long? We're trying to get her home and this is the thanks I get? I should throw her into an emergency pod and dump her off in space!_

She ground her teeth. The more she thought about the situation, the angrier she got. Frustrated, she jumped up, slamming the palms of her hand on the table. Her teammates flinched in surprise, but Sakura paid them no mind. Furious, she ran back to the door of her bedroom. She pounded her fist on the door.

"Ino!" she screamed. "I'm tired of being patient with you! Either come out right now or I will kick the door down, put you in an emergency pod and let the vacuum of space take you!"

"Sakura..." Sakura felt a hand settle on her shoulder. Sasuke stared down at her, trying to calm her down. The sight of his pretty face only made her angrier.

"This is all your fault!" she screamed at Sasuke.

To her satisfaction, Sasuke removed his hand from her shoulder and took a step back. Sakura glared. She turned her attention back to the door. She knocked once again, but no one answered. She was preparing to knock for the third and final time when the door slid open and Ino walked out, face full of fury.

"How dare you?" she screamed. "I've lost my money, my job, and my home and all you care about is getting your room back?"

"I don't care!" Sakura shouted in return. "I've tried being patient, but you've crossed a line! We're going back to Konoha to help you out!"

Ino snorted and crossed her arms over her chest. "That's the minimum responsibility you have," she grumbled.

Sakura screamed. She wanted to pull her own hair out. _This girl is too annoying._

"Sakura," Kakashi said. Sakura looked up at her captain. "We should discuss the situation calmly." He turned his gaze toward Ino. "Meet us in the dining room for breakfast, Ino."

With that statement, he turned around and returned to the galley. Naruto and Sasuke followed behind him. Sakura glared at Ino one last time before following their lead, Ino at the back. They sat down at the galley, Ino the farthest away.

"So," Kakashi began. "We are currently on our way back to Konoha. We will drop you off at your city. Where are you from, exactly?"

"I'm from Konohagakure," Ino replied, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at a corner of the room. "The capital."

Sakura blinked. _I knew she was from Konoha, I didn't know she was from the same city._

"Wow!" Naruto said. "We're from Konohagakure, too! Isn't that cool, Sasuke?"

"Hn," Sasuke said. Despite his grimace, Sakura could tell he was happy about the news. They didn't have the opportunity to return home often.

"You four are from Konohagakure?" Ino asked skeptically.

Naruto nodded enthusiastically in response. "I can see Iruka-sensei when we're back, ya know!" he said. "I've been video chatting with him and all, but it's not the same."

_Getting off-topic here._ "So yeah," Sakura interrupted. "We'll drop you off at Konohagakure. We will arrive there in a few days."

"Thanks, I guess," Ino grumbled with a huff. Sakura felt her blood boil once again. _Be thankful, a trip from Oto to Konoha usually takes weeks and costs thousands of units._

"There's only one condition," Sakura said.

"Oh? What's that?" Despite her haughty tone, Sakura could sense an undertone of anxiety in her voice.

Sakura smirked. "First of all, you have to get out of my room. You can sleep in one of the emergency pods. It's comfortable enough and has a great view of space. You also have to use the community bathroom instead."

"Fine," Ino said, rolling her eyes. "Anything else, princess?"

Sakura felt herself at her breaking point. "Yes, in fact, there is one more condition. At least... if you want us to take you back to Konoha instead of dumping you in the nearest inhabited planet."

"What's that?"

"You're going to have to help out here," Sakura said. "Help with cleaning, cooking, and supply runs. You are now a temporary member of Team 7!"

Ino's expression of shock almost made the last week without her bed worth it.

**O-O-O-O-O**

Sakura ran her hands through her wet hair as she toweled it off. After a week of using only the standard-issue toiletries, she vowed to never again take her shampoo for granted.

She looked around her newly reacquired bedroom. Ino had survived by eating her snacks. She had also taken some of Sakura's clothes for her own use. Sakura frowned. _She can borrow them for now, but she'd better give them back!_

After dressing herself, she left her room and headed to the galley.

"Hey," she greeted as she stepped inside.

To her surprise, Ino was inside, talking with Naruto and Sasuke. Ino looked strangely content about spending time with the two idiots.

"Hey!" Naruto greeted, a grin threatening to cut his face in half.

Sasuke only waved while Ino huffed and looked away. Sakura rolled her eyes._ It's their fault that you're here, don't you know?_

"What are you talking about?" Sakura asked as she headed to the fridge and pulled out a can of beer.

"Ino was telling us about her family, ya know!" Naruto answered. "She says her dad is a therapist. She says she found the job listing in Oto online and she decided to take it cause it paid a lot."

"Oh?" Sakura asked, curious despite herself. "So you moved to an entirely different planet just to be a bartender? Couldn't you have stayed in Konoha and been a bartender there?"

"That's thinking small!" Ino yelled, keeping her eyes focused away from Sakura. "I wanted to see the universe! Staying in Konohagakure would have been too boring."

"I guess," Sakura said as she plopped herself down on a chair and took a sip of her beer. Naruto and Sasuke shared uncomfortable glances. Ino nervously clutched her glass of water up to her chest. No one said anything, but Sakura was too tired and frustrated to care.

"We're going on a supply run," Sakura said, breaking the silence. Everyone turned to look at her.

"A supply run?" Sasuke asked. "So soon?"

"Yeah," Sakura answered. "We need to stock up on food. Also someone," she glared at her teammates, "attacked the ship and we need to stop and check for damages."

"Makes sense, I guess," Naruto said. "How long till we make landfall?"

"Around an hour or so. I'll call on you once we reach the upper atmosphere of the planet."

Naruto and Sasuke nodded. Satisfied, Sakura stood up and left, dropping her empty can in the recycling bin at the exit. She returned to her room, leaving only when Kakashi fetched her for co-piloting duties.

When she arrived at the cockpit, Sasuke, Naruto, and Ino were already there, ready for landfall. While Sasuke and Naruto looked bored, Ino was green with either nausea or anxiety. _I guess she doesn't get to travel around much._

Sakura nodded, satisfied that they were ready for once. She sat down in the co-pilot's seat and buckled herself in.

"Are the perimeters set?" Sakura asked, the familiarity of the task calming her.

"Yes, everything appears normal," Kakashi said as he flipped a switch. "Communications are open. We're ready."

_Kurama _began its descent. Sakura checked the coordinates and readings, anxious about potential malfunctions. However, all the stats were normal and she breathed a sigh of relief as their ship began to descend into Kiri.

Kakashi landed the ship at the public landing strip. Sakura held her breath, but there were no sudden complications. As soon as the engines were turned off, a bunch of hangar workers appeared. Sakura breathed out.

"I was half worried our ship would explode," Kakashi commented, voice nonchalant. "Since we haven't been able to check for damages yet."

"Yeah, but it all worked out well!" Sakura replied, trying to force her voice to remain optimistic. "We didn't die!"

"I count that as an absolute win!" Naruto replied from the back.

Flipping a few switches, a ramp extended out of the ship and into the disembarking area. Sakura unbuckled herself. She could hear the others following her lead.

"Naruto, Sasuke," she said. "You're going on a supply run. I have a list of things we need to buy. Kakashi-sensei and I will stay here to check the ship and do any troubleshooting. Can I trust you two not to start an inter-planetary incident without me?"

"Of course," Sasuke said, rolling his eyes. "What do you expect from us?"

_Not much._

"What am I supposed to do?" Ino grumbled. "Just stay here and watch you work?"

"You can come with us!" Naruto said. "We can always use the company!"

"I can?" Ino asked, eyes full of excitement. "I've never been to Kiri before!"

"Really?" Naruto's eyes lit up in happiness. "In that case, you should come with us! Three heads are better than two, ya know!"

_Except that you and Sasuke together somehow makes less than one brain._

"Thank you!" Ino said as she walked up to them with an excited grin.

"Fine," Sakura said. "Just don't get into fights."

They shook their heads.

"Here is the list of the supplies we need," she continued as she handed over a sheet of paper. "And here's the money." She gave Sasuke an envelope full of interplanetary units. "Don't lose it," she warned.

"I won't," Sasuke replied, rolling his eyes.

"See you in a bit, Sakura!" Naruto yelled as he pulled Sasuke away and out of the ship. Ino followed behind them.

"See you," Sakura said goodbye in return before turning her gaze toward Kakashi.

"I'll be checking the outside," Kakashi said. "You should make sure the navigation system is working correctly."

Sakura nodded. Kakashi left, satisfied.

The cockpit now empty, she looked around her surroundings. She sighed, already exhausted. She had a lot of work to do to make sure _Kurama _was in correct working order.

Her task set, she crawled under the control panel. She checked for any problems, running diagnostics on the propulsion systems first. To her relief, they were working correctly. She made her way down the list of tasks.

However, as she was running diagnostics, her mind ran through the worst-case scenarios. _Sasuke, Naruto, and Ino together is an episode for disaster!_

Troubled by her thoughts, her mind was unable to concentrate on the tasks in front of her. _I can't even trust them enough to buy the correct brand of shampoo! How can I believe they would be able to buy supplies without trouble?_

After a few minutes of trying to focus, Sakura couldn't take it any longer. She stood up and began to make her way out, running down the ship's ramp and into the hangar.

Without waiting to talk to anyone, she ran outside, emerging on a busy street. She looked around in panic before approaching a guard standing at the entrance to the hangar.

"Hello! Excuse me, sir?" Sakura approached the man.

The man frowned but nodded his head.

"Yes? How I can help you?" he asked haltingly in a thick accent.

"I'm looking for my friends," Sakura said, speaking slowly. "They passed through. Here, I have an image."

She pulled out a holograph of them. Naruto had an arm wrapped around Sasuke with a grin on his face. Sasuke was trying in vain to hide his happiness at being with Naruto. Sakura was sure the guard would be able to recognize them. They were the center of attention wherever they went.

The guard nodded and frowned to himself. "I see they. They go... that way."

He pointed to the left. "Thank you very much," Sakura said, bowing her head.

The man only grunted, turning his attention back to his guard duties. Sakura made her way down the street, asking around whenever she reached an impasse.

It took only a few minutes for her to come to what she feared most. Naruto and Sasuke were standing side to side. Sasuke had drawn out his sword. Naruto had his gun pointed at a man with a sword yelling at them. Ino was nowhere to be found. A curious crowd surrounded the scene.

"I said I don't understand you!" Naruto shouted. "Let me and my boyfriend go or else!"

The man holding a sword shouted something back, but it was unintelligible. He was waving his arms in their direction, obviously furious about something. Sakura felt her stomach turn over itself in worry.

"Wait!" she yelled as she stepped in front of Naruto and Sasuke. "I'm sorry for my idiot teammates! We don't mean any harm."

"Easy for you to say," Sasuke muttered. Sakura ignored him.

The man frowned in surprise but didn't stop. He continued to scream in their direction. Sakura wished she could understand his words. She only knew the standard language and she had left the translator back on the ship. _I got careless._

Sakura was considering running away when salvation came from an unexpected source. Ino, holding bags full of things, stepped forward with a smile, speaking to the man in the local language.

The man blinked at Ino's approach and smiled. They exchanged a few words, but Sakura could understand nothing. A few seconds later, Ino and the man were laughing. To Sakura's surprise, the man nodded his head, waved goodbye, and left, his previous threats apparently forgotten.

"W-what was that?" Sakura asked.

"I talked to him," Ino said.

"I mean, yeah, I can see that." Sakura rolled her eyes. "But how did you convince him not to fight us?"

"I didn't," Ino said. "He was trying to ask if they liked Kiri when Naruto and Sasuke pulled their weapons on him! He got angry because they wouldn't put them away."

"Oh, so that's what he wanted," Naruto said sheepishly. "We thought he wanted to attack us when he put his hands on us."

"But... where did you learn the language of Kiri?" Sakura asked. "I heard it's really hard to learn."

"It is. That's why Orochimaru hired me," Ino said. "And why he paid so well."

"Huh?" Sakura had no idea what her previous job had to do with learning the Kiri language.

"Did you think someone like Orochimaru would hire just anyone from a different galaxy?" Ino rolled her eyes. "I can speak a variety of different languages. Orochimaru gets a lot of clients from all over the universe to visit. He needed someone that could speak more than one language."

"How many languages can you speak anyway?" Sakura asked.

"Fluently?" Ino asked. "Maybe nine or ten. To a decent degree, only eight more. I was learning the Oto language when _you all _took me away." She glared at Sakura at the last part.

Naruto laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry," he said.

Sasuke turned to Sakura. "So what are you doing here anyway?" he asked.

Sakura crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I was worried that you would get in trouble," she said. "And I was right!"

"Hey! We had Ino here! She's the one that got us out of this situation!" Naruto said.

"I guess," Sakura admitted. "Still, I can't leave you two alone for more than two minutes without you getting in trouble," she scolded. She turned her eyes back to Ino. She looked her up and down.

Ino shifted her feet, staring down at Sakura with contempt in her eyes. Sakura only sighed. She forced a smile on her lips.

"Thanks, Ino," she said. "For getting these idiots out of trouble."

Ino's eyes widened, surprised at Sakura's sincerity. Her face flushed and she looked away from Sakura to stare at a building. "You're welcome, _Billboard Brow_."

_Billboard Brow?! Well, if that's how it's going to be..._

"Let's get back to the ship, _Ino Pig_," Sakura replied. She turned around and walked away before Ino had a chance to respond.

**O-O-O-O-O**

"How many planets have you visited before, Ino Pig?" Sakura asked as the entirety of Team 7 ate dinner in the galley.

"Until today? Only two, Billboard Brow," Ino answered icily. Sakura could tell that Ino was furious with the nickname and it sent a shiver of pleasure down her spine.

"Really? Only two?" Sakura was surprised. All of her friends and family back in Konoha had done interplanetary travel, if only for shopping and vacations.

"My dad gets motion sickness a lot," Ino explained. "And once I got old enough to travel on my own, he told me to save my money for one big trip instead."

Sakura nodded. Short trips from Konoha were commonplace and relatively inexpensive. In comparison, getting to Oto from Konoha was a much longer journey with a much higher price tag.

"How long is it gonna take us to get to Konoha, anyway?" Ino asked.

"Around one more week," Kakashi replied, making sure to hide his face behind his book as he ate.

"One week?!" Ino whined incredulously.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "One week."

"That's too long! Can't you use the warp or whatever it's called?" Ino asked.

"We could," Sakura answered, rolling her eyes. "Except we used a lot of our warp fuel to escape from Orochimaru. We have a little left for emergencies. The fuel is too expensive to squander. If you're willing to pay 100,000 units for a refill and instant travel, be our guest."

Ino balked at the price before nodding her head reluctantly. She turned her attention back to the meal in front of her.

"Don't worry, Ino!" Naruto said. "The time will fly by, ya know!"

Ino sighed. "I hope so. I haven't talked to my father in a few days. He's probably worried about me."

Naruto's eyes lit up and he stood up abruptly, palms of his hands on the table. "We have a communication system!" he yelled. "I use it to talk to Iruka-sensei and Jiraiya-sensei all the time! You can use it too!"

"Really? Thank you so much! He's probably worried sick about me! I usually talk to him every few days."

Ino grinned and her eyes shone with happiness. It was the happiest Sakura had seen her since that fateful night at the bar. Without the tears and annoyance, she looked like a goddess once more.

"Sakura?" Sasuke said.

Sakura pulled her eyes away from Ino. "What?"

"Hn, nothing," Sasuke said, a small smirk on his face. "You just looked distracted."

Sakura felt her face heat up. "I wasn't. Just thinking."

"If you say so, Sakura," Kakashi said, his mask once again covering his face. Sakura felt a sudden urge to strangle her teammates. She stabbed her food with a fork and glared at them pointedly. She tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach.

**O-O-O-O-O**

"We're going to make one more stop before we head straight to Konoha," Sakura said. All five of them were in the galley, playing poker.

"Ooh!" Naruto said, a decently-sized pile of chips in front of him. "Which planet? A supply run or a souvenir run?"

"A little of both," Kakashi explained, a mountain of chips in front of him. "We're running low on medical supplies. Suna has the best-quality medicines for the cheapest price."

"Suna?!" Naruto shouted excitedly, his neat pile of chips falling down. "Can we go visit Gaara while we're there? Please, please, please!"

Kakashi nodded. "Sure. Sakura needs time to buy the supplies anyway."

"Isn't buying medicine in other planets illegal?" Ino asked. In front of her was a small pile of chips.

Sakura shrugged, fidgeting with the chips in front of her. "Maybe. To be honest, we're not too... concerned with legality. Besides, we travel a lot and in our line of work, money is not always consistent. We need to save money where we can. It's better to be prepared."

"Naruto gets hurt way too easily," Sasuke added. "Sakura has to patch him up after almost every mission."

In front of him, only two chips remained. Despite his serious face, Sakura could tell that it bothered him to be the loser of the game.

"We'll be landing tomorrow morning," Kakashi said. "So we can spend all day in Suna. Make sure you wake up early tomorrow."

Sakura nodded. "I'll wake up anyone who's not ready with a bucket of ice water," she threatened. "You are now warned."

Naruto and Sasuke paled and nodded nervously while Ino only rolled her eyes. Sakura smirked. _It's not a joke, Ino Pig._

**O-O-O-O-O**

They landed in Suna shortly past dawn. To her immense disappointment, no one woke up late and Sakura couldn't fulfill her threat.

"I'mgonnagoseeGaaraseeyoulaterbye!" Naruto shouted as he ran down the ramp upon landing. Sakura had yet to unbuckle herself. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You're not going with him?" Sakura asked, surprised. She felt as if Naruto and Sasuke were always joined at the hip.

"Naruto wants to see Gaara," Sasuke explained. "I would just be a third wheel. It's uncomfortable to be there while those two talk."

Sakura might have felt more sympathetic to Sasuke's pain if she didn't experience the same thing every day.

"I guess," she said. "Is there anything you want me to buy?"

Sasuke thought for a second before shaking his head. "Can't think of anything. I'll catch up on sleep. I'll send you a message if I remember something."

Sakura nodded her head in understanding. She unbuckled her seat belt and stood up, stretching her arms over her head. She grabbed her knapsack from under her seat, walked out of the cockpit, and made her way down the ramp.

"Hey, wait!" Ino called out from behind her.

Sakura turned around. Ino was standing at the top of the ramp, avoiding her gaze. She was flushed and biting her lip. It reminded Sakura of the magical night before everything went wrong.

"What do you want, Ino Pig?" Sakura asked.

Ino's eyebrows creased at the insult, but she said nothing. "I just wanted to know if I could come with you, Billboard Brow."

Sakura stared at Ino in surprise. "With me? Why?"

Ino huffed and crossed her arms in front of her chest, a pout on her face. "This is only the fourth planet I've ever been on," she explained. "I might not get the chance to travel outside of Konoha for a while now that I don't have any money left. This might be my last chance."

"Oh, okay then," Sakura said. "Just as long as you help me carry everything back."

Ino grinned at being given permission. She skipped down the ramp and stood next to her. Once again, Sakura was struck by how beautiful she looked when she was happy.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Let's go!" Without waiting for Sakura's response, Ino walked away in a random direction. Sakura stayed behind, shaking her head. _She doesn't even know where she's going._

"The exit is that way, Ino Pig," Sakura said.

Ino blushed prettily and walked back to her side. "Oh," she said.

Sakura felt a smile tugging at her lips._ Ino is really cute when she's not yelling and locking me out of my room._

Sakura sighed. "Just follow my lead."

With that, they left the hangar. They walked out into the hot and dry streets of Sunagakure. It was early enough that many people were still in the streets, the sun not yet at its apex.

"We'll go to the market first," Sakura said, leading the way. "Stay near me."

Ino grunted her assent. Satisfied, Sakura made her way to the city center.

The next few hours were a lot more relaxing and pleasant than she had expected. Without their lives at risk, Ino was actually really fun to spend time with. She was bright and charismatic. She talked to the vendors in their local language, flushing at their praise.

Their conversation flowed too. Sakura learned so much about her in the hours they spent together. Ino was an only child, brought up by her father, who was a therapist back in Konoha. She had been saving her money to travel the universe before going back to Konoha and getting a stable job. She loved cherry tomatoes and pudding.

Learning more about Ino made Sakura remember why she had found her so attractive that night at the bar. Glad for her company, when Sakura bought a bag of fried potatoes, she made sure to share some with Ino. Ino thanked her as they ate underneath the shade of a temple. They returned to the ship with grins on their faces, happy with the time they spent together.

"Thanks for the company, Ino Pig," Sakura said, arms full of supplies as she walked up the ramp into Kurama.

"My company is always appreciated, isn't it?" Ino said haughtily from her side.

"Just take the compliment, Ino Pig."

"I guess you weren't such bad company either," Ino huffed.

Sakura rolled her eyes but smiled. "Thanks, I guess. What do you plan to do once you get back to Konoha, anyway?"

"I want to see more of the universe!" Ino's eyes shone with excitement. "You're so lucky that you get to see different planets! I've only been to three other planets, but I hope I'll be able to visit many others soon."

"You know you could-" Sakura stopped herself.

"Could what?" Ino tilted her head to the side curiously.

Sakura felt her face flush. _You could come with me and we can travel across space together._ However, she couldn't say it out loud. Ino was only a girl she had spent one night with. There was no way she would want to stay with Sakura and Team 7 for the indefinite future.

"Nothing," Sakura said. "You could look for a job with a cargo ship. They're always looking for translators."

"I guess." Ino sighed. "The company might not be as nice as on _Kurama _though."

Sakura said nothing, turning her face away to keep Ino from seeing how red it had become.

**O-O-O-O-O**

"We'll be home in about an hour. Get ready for landing." Sakura made her rounds through the ship, waking Sasuke and Naruto to tell them the news. They nodded sleepily and began to put on clothes. She looked for Ino next.

"Hey, Ino!" Sakura knocked on the door of the emergency pod. "Get ready! We're landing in around an hour."

"Be right out!" Ino shouted.

"Just make sure everything is packed!" she shouted back. "We still have an hour left!"

Her message given, Sakura returned to the cockpit. She checked the readings, but everything seemed to be working correctly. She monitored the screen, waiting for her teammates and Ino to join her.

Shortly after, the others entered and buckled in. Sakura smiled as she looked out of the window at her planet. She loved traveling the universe, but Konoha would always be her home. Kakashi began their descent.

They landed in Konohagakure shortly before noon.

"I'm going home," Kakashi said, waving goodbye. "We'll stay the night here. Meet up tomorrow at ten for departure."

"Of course, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura said.

Without waiting any more, they walked down the ramp and went their separate ways. Naruto and Sasuke headed off to talk to Iruka and Jiraiya. Kakashi made his way home where his dogs and his partner were waiting. Sakura looked at their backs as they walked away._ I need to go see my parents, too. But first..._

"Ino?" she turned to look at her.

"What do you want, Billboard Brow?" Ino asked, blushing for a reason Sakura could not understand.

Sakura smirked. "I know everything was shit for a while, but it was still fun for a bit."

"Oh."

"If you ever want to see more planets, give us a call and we can take you around the universe," Sakura continued. "As long as you do some translating work for us."

Ino cleared her throat. "S-sure," she said. "Just don't come begging for my help the next time your teammates get into a fight."

Sakura giggled. "Yeah yeah. I hope we can meet up again one day. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

With that final conversation, Sakura walked away, leaving Ino behind. She felt dread forming in the pit of her stomach. Despite all the chaos after leaving Oto, she would miss her.

Sakura arrived home. She greeted her parents happily, hugging them. They listened to Sakura's stories, alternatively laughing and expressing their concern. They ate dinner, saying goodnight with a hug and a kiss goodnight.

Sakura laid down in her old childhood bed, but she could not sleep. She tossed and turned, thinking about Ino._ I'm going to miss that woman._

She finally fell asleep hours later. To her annoyance and delight, she dreamt of long blonde hair and blue eyes.

**O-O-O-O-O**

"Naruto and Sasuke are already here, Kakashi-sensei," Sakura said. "We can go now."

"It's not ten o'clock yet, Sakura," Kakashi replied, face buried in his book.

Sakura frowned. Normally, her teammates would want to leave as fast as possible on the search for another mission. Kakashi telling her to wait was unusual.

Sakura shook her head, confused. _Well, we still have thirty minutes until ten, I might as well run diagnostics on the ship. _She crawled under the control panel.

"Ah, here she comes," Sasuke said from where he sat on the passenger's seat.

"Huh? She?" Sakura crawled out and looked at her teammate, perplexed.

Her teammates were looking at something through the window, amusement on their faces. Sakura followed their gaze. Her jaw dropped. Ino was running across the hangar floor, obviously out of breath. She ran up the ramp into _Kurama _and joined them in the cockpit, where she collapsed on her knees

"Ino?" Sakura asked, confused about her presence. "Did you forget something?'

Ino panted, struggling to catch her breath. "I... uh... I..."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Just get your breathing under control, Ino Pig."

Ino glared at her, but she could say nothing in response. Sakura waited patiently for Ino's breath to slow.

"Can I come with you?" Ino finally said, meeting Sakura in the eye.

"W-what?" Sakura took an involuntary step back. She could feel her face heating up in embarrassment.

"Can I come with you?" Ino repeated, her breath finally back in order.

"I... uh... why? With me-us? What do you mean?"

"I really had a lot of fun with your team," Ino confessed. "I... I liked spending time with you. So... please... I want to travel across space with all of you."

"I.. um..." Sakura swallowed nervously. "Sure. I... suppose you can come with us." She tried to keep her face as neutral as possible.

Ino grinned. For the first time, Sakura noticed she was carrying a large backpack, no doubt full of her clothes and possessions. Sakura smiled back, extending a hand to help Ino stand up.

"Don't you think you're missing something?" Kakashi asked icily.

Sakura frowned. "What do you mean, Kakashi-sensei?"

"You have to ask the captain," Kakashi interrupted. Sakura felt a moment of apprehension as she awaited his verdict. She looked at Ino. Ino's face was pale and nervous.

"Can Ino travel with us, captain?" Sakura asked, making a formal request.

"The captain says yes," Kakashi answered immediately, the corner of his eye crinkling in happiness.

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief before turning to look at Ino with a smile._ I'm glad you're here with us._

**O-O-O-O-O**

**Next chapter: Sakura realizes she made a mistake.**


	3. I kissed her goodnight

**Written for Naruto Sci-Fi Week Day 5- Lost Ship.**

**O-O-O-O-O**

Ino was becoming a distraction.

Sakura tried not to ogle her every day as she got used to having her on board. But every time Ino bent over to check or pick something up, Sakura's eyes immediately gravitated to her. Sakura adored her smallest actions, such as when she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear or when she covered her mouth to giggle.

She forced herself to endure the desire. _After that fiasco when we escaped Oto, she probably doesn't want anything to do with me._

Upon leaving Konoha, Team 7 started their search for a new mission. Kakashi scoured through the listing boards in search of an easy first assignment. They chose to transport a gift across planets- a delivery job with no fighting and no ethical gray areas.

While at first Sakura had worried that Ino would be unable to keep up, Ino shined during the mission. Their clients were enamored with her attitude and smile. They raved when she started speaking the native language flawlessly. After the delivery was completed, they were paid a little extra in gratitude.

With their first mission complete, they bought enough beer to last them for at least two months. They celebrated that night, making a sizable dent in their supply. Ino and Sakura talked amicably, complaining when their teammates began to make out.

"Get a room!" Sakura teased. "You keep making us single people sad!"

Naruto giggled, flushed brightly, and broke apart from Sasuke. "Sorry Sakura," he said. "We'll go to our room."

Sasuke nodded, pulling Naruto along. Sakura sighed and shook her head. _At least they're trying._

"So this is what missions are usually like?" Ino asked. She bent forward, placing her forearms on the table in front of her. To Sakura's annoyance and delight, Ino's chest looked amazing perched on the table. She swallowed and forced her eyes to move away from the magnificent view.

"Usually not," she admitted.

"Oh? And why is that?"

Sakura gave a long-suffering sigh. "Because my teammates are idiots," she said.

"Hey! I resent that!" Kakashi muttered from behind his book.

"Except for Kakashi, of course. He's usually useful."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence, Sakura," Kakashi deadpanned.

"So it's really just Naruto and Sasuke that are idiots?" Ino asked. She placed her chin on the palm of her hand and tilted her head. Sakura's heart threatened to burst at the sight. She suppressed her hormones as best as she could.

Sakura nodded. "Yeah, if something goes wrong, it's almost always their fault. They're assholes. They never think ahead of time and they're always messing stuff up."

"Isn't that a little uncharitable?" Ino asked. "I mean, you keep them around for a reason, right?"

"They're good at their job," Sakura admitted. "They know how to fight and how to do even the most dangerous stunts. Naruto can be very convincing too. He could probably convince a war criminal to turn his life around and open a dog shelter if he put his mind to it."

Ino hummed. "That's nice. You have cool teammates," she said.

"Doesn't change the fact that when something goes wrong, it's always their fault," Sakura muttered. Ino only grinned in response before taking a sip of beer. Silence fell in the galley, although it was a comfortable sort of silence. Sakura and Ino drank their beer while Kakashi read his book.

"So you're single then?" Ino asked abruptly. In the background, Kakashi turned a page of his book. Sakura coughed as the beer took a wrong turn.

Sakura shrugged, wiping her mouth with her forearm. "I suppose. I mean after... you know... that night... I'm not sure what to do."

"That night?" Ino raised an eyebrow. If Sakura didn't know any better, she would have said Ino was being flirtatious.

Sakura cleared her throat, her face burning. "Well... you know... the night... we had to escape from Orochimaru."

"Oh? Is that the only thing that happened that night? I don't remember exactly," Ino said.

Sakura's face became even hotter than before. _What does she want me to say? Is she trying to make fun of me or what?_ She looked down at the table.

Ino took the opportunity to lean forward until she was practically on top of the table. She was close enough that Sakura could smell the standard-issue shampoo in her hair. Sakura swallowed. Memories of that one night of passion rose to the surface. She knew it was impossible to die from embarrassment, but the chance remained.

"So? What do you remember?" Ino muttered, her mouth only a few inches away from Sakura.

"I... uh..."

Sakura was saved from answering by the emergency alarm. Immediately, her heart began pounding in panic as she stood up, Kakashi joining at her side. They ran to the cockpit at once. Ino hesitated for a second before following behind them.

"What's wrong, Kakashi?" Sakura shouted, biting her lip. Emergency alarms were never anything they could ignore. She hoped they weren't under attack, or they would have to use up their remaining fuel to escape.

"Not sure," he muttered before sitting down at the captain's seat. Sakura looked at the readings over his shoulder, searching for anything he might miss.

From behind her, she heard footsteps running to the cockpit in panic. _Naruto and Sasuke._

"Kakashi!" Sasuke shouted. "What's wrong? What happened? Are we under attack?"

"We're not sure," Sakura said, shaking her head. "We're trying to figure that out now."

Kakashi read through the ship's stats, looking for the source of the emergency alarm. Sakura peered anxiously at his side, hoping they were not stranded in space.

A few seconds later, Kakashi collapsed back on his seat with a relieved sigh. Immediately, Sakura felt her shoulders relax. _It can't be that serious then._

"What is it, Kakashi?" Naruto asked, biting his knuckles. Next to him, Ino and Sasuke appeared equally as anxious, although they hid it better.

"There's a problem with the navigation system," Kakashi said. "It's currently unable to calculate our location in space. If we were to try going anywhere right now, we would be flying blind."

"Flying blind?" Ino asked. "Can't we use the stars or whatever to figure out where we're going?"

"Space is not linear," Sakura explained. "It's also nearly impossible to calculate distances between stars. How do we know an individual star is 100 light-years versus 5 light-years away? The navigation system takes care of the task for us."

Kakashi nodded. "As Sakura said, it's almost impossible to fly in space without a navigation system," he added. "I have a good idea of our general location. However, if we are just one or two degrees wrong, chances are that we would be more lost than before. It's not easy to travel through space."

"So, what does that mean for us, Kakashi?" Sasuke asked. Despite his cool tone of voice, Sakura could tell that he was panicked.

"It means we're stranded," Ino said, face ashen.

"Stranded?" Naruto shouted, his eyes wide open in panic as he turned his gaze between Kakashi and Sakura. "Are we going to die? We're going to die! I knew I should have spent more time with Gaara and Iruka before we left! I'm never going to see them again, ya know!"

He continued shouting and crying about their fate. To Sakura's dismay, his panic was becoming infectious and Ino and Sasuke were beginning to look more panicked as well. Annoyed, Sakura punched his shoulder to stop him from talking.

Naruto threw a betrayed glare her way.

"We're not stranded," Sakura said. "Not really. We have communication systems working and more than enough fuel to last two weeks."

Kakashi nodded. "What Sakura said. The only failing thing is the navigation system and it's possible to recalibrate it and fix it. Even if we don't fix it, we are able to call for help or for someone to pick us up if need be."

"So... we're not gonna die?" Naruto asked, eyes looking shinier than usual.

Kakashi shook his head. "Nope. However, I am unsure how long it will take to fix the navigation computer or if it's possible."

"If it's not, we can always call the towing company to pick us up," Sasuke said, logical and reasonable.

"It will cost a lot of money though," Sakura complained. "We'd have to dip into our emergency savings just to pay for it."

"Better than dying alone in space."

"That's true."

"So can you check the navigation computer, Kakashi?" Sakura asked.

Kakashi grunted in assent and crawled under the control panel to check the system. Sakura looked over his shoulder at the malfunctioning computer. _I wonder what caused it._

Kakashi hummed, moving and checking the different wires and buttons. He verified everything was plugged in correctly first. Then, he opened the box that contained the software for the calibration system.

At once, Sakura felt a heavy weight settle into her stomach. In a rush, she remembered the day they had gone to Kiri. Sakura had abandoned checking the navigation to search for Ino and her teammates. Later on, she had forgotten to check that the system was working before leaving Kiri. She was lucky that they had managed to get to Konoha at all.

She wondered if anyone could hear her heart pounding in guilt. _Shit. This is my fault. I forgot to re-calibrate the navigation system when we were back on Kiri._

"How does it look, Kakashi?" Sasuke asked. He peered over at Kakashi's work but only managed a frown. Only Sakura and Kakashi had any inkling of what the numbers on the navigation system said.

"Not sure," Kakashi admitted with a sigh. "I will have to look at this in more detail later. For now, I'll send a message to Gai telling him about the situation. We have more than enough fuel for two weeks to live comfortably. We have enough for three if we regulate our consumption. If I can't fix this within a week, I'll have to call the towing company to pick us up."

"Y-yeah! Like Kakashi said, we'll be fine!" Sakura said, pasting a reassuring smile on her face. _I'm a liar, an idiot, and a hypocrite. I mess things up just as much as Naruto and Sasuke._

"I-I guess," Naruto stuttered. "I hate this ya know."

Sasuke sighed before taking Naruto's hand in his. "Let's go back to the galley," he said. "We can talk a little bit more there. Let Kakashi work."

"Thank you," Kakashi said before starting to scroll through the diagnostic files. With that, Naruto and Sasuke left the cockpit and headed toward the galley.

Ino lingered, biting her lip as she turned her gaze between the door where the boys had gone and Sakura.

"Go with them if you want," Sakura said, forcing a smile on her face. "I'll join you three later. I have to talk to Kakashi."

Ino nodded uncertainly before departing and leaving them together in the cockpit. Kakashi looked at the numbers once again. He hummed thoughtfully and crawled under the computer, holding a small flashlight.

"Kakashi," Sakura began. She swallowed and sat down next to where Kakashi was working.

"What is it?" he asked. Despite the urgency of fixing the navigation system, he appeared completely calm.

"It's just... um... how should I say this?"

"Say what?" he asked distractedly.

She bit her lip. "It'smyfaultournavigationsystemisdown," she said in a rush.

Kakashi froze, staring at some cables underneath the navigation panel.

"What?" he asked.

"I said, it's my fault our navigation system is down."

Kakashi and Sakura both fell into silence. "What? How?" he asked after a few seconds of contemplation.

"When we were in Kiri, I didn't finish calibrating the system," Sakura whispered. "I went to look for Ino, Sasuke, and Naruto instead, and when we got back to the ship, I forgot about it."

"You... forgot?" he asked incredulously. Sakura could only nod, feeling her face heating up in shame.

"Please don't tell anyone, she begged. "Naruto and Sasuke would never let me live it down. And Ino would probably run away in a huff. We're just now starting to get along. I don't want anything to ruin it."

Kakashi looked at her for so long that she began to squirm under his gaze. Eventually, he gave a long-suffering sigh and collapsed on his back, staring up at the ceiling.

"Fine," he said. "I won't tell anymore. Thank you for telling me. Now that I know what happened, it should be easier to figure out how to fix it."

"That's good," Sakura said with a relieved sigh. "Tell me if there's anything I can do to help, Kakashi."

He nodded before turning his attention back to the repairs. "Yes. Also, please send a message to Gai with our coordinates. It's better to be prepared."

Sakura grunted her assent and stood up. She sent Gai a quick message, including their last known coordinates. With her task done, she went to join the others in the galley.

When she entered, she was greeted by an aura of panic.

"It will be fine, Naruto," Ino said. "After all, we can be rescued right?"

"Y-yeah!" Naruto said. "I mean... you hear about these stories of people left floating in space for hundreds of years... But that'll never happen to us! Right?"

"No!" Sasuke insisted. "We might end up killing and eating each other first."

Ino's face grew pale. Sakura sighed. "We'll be fine," she said from the doorway. She sat down and grabbed the can of beer she had been forced to abandon earlier.

"Are you sure?" Ino asked, biting her lip.

"I'm sure," she said, hoping they wouldn't be able to tell she was lying.

"What could have caused it, though? Does this kind of thing happen often?" Ino asked, running her fingers through her long hair in a nervous gesture.

"Never before," Sasuke said with a frown.

"Sakura always checks our navigation system really well, so we never get lost, ya know," Naruto added. Sakura felt a shard of guilt piercing through her heart.

"It's probably our fault," Sasuke said, looking down at the table. Sakura's shame only intensified. _Sasuke never looks guilty._

"W-what do you mean?" Sakura asked. She hoped her stutter would not give her away.

"Well, when we were running away from Orochimaru, his lackeys hit the ship a few times," he reasoned. "What if they damaged something in the navigation system?"

"We did have to do repairs after the attack," Naruto added, biting his knuckles. "It might have been such a small problem that Sakura didn't notice it."

_No, I'm just a forgetful idiot._

"No, I'm sure there could be other reasons why," Sakura said, trying to reassure her teammates. Her guilt weighed heavier and heavier by the second.

"I'm sorry, Sakura," Naruto added. "It's our fault."

"Sorry," Sasuke added, looking honestly repentant for once. Sakura might have enjoyed the sight more if she didn't know the real reason for their dilemma.

"Th-that's okay, guys," she said, pasting a smile on her face. "There could be other reasons why the navigation system is failing."

"Like what?" Ino asked. Her blue eyes stared at her, wide, curious, and ignorant. It made her heart beat faster than ever before.

"Like a mechanical problem with the computer," she lied. "Or gravity. Perhaps sabotage, even. Or maybe the calibration was done incorrectly." _By me._

The three others nodded, although she could tell that they understood none of her words.

"How about we play a card game to distract ourselves?" Sakura said, trying to force a smile on her face. "Kakashi is not worried, so I'm sure we'll be fine! We need to relax and not get in his way."

"I guess," Naruto huffed. "What do you want to play?"

With that question, they argued about different game options before settling on poker. They established the rules and Sakura dealt the cards.

However, despite her reassurances, Sasuke and Naruto would not calm down. They kept worrying about the possibility of dying while floating alone in space. No matter what Sakura said, they would only keep apologizing for their actions back in Oto. It took all of her self-will not to confess. Eventually, the two men retired to their room, leaving Sakura and Ino alone at the galley.

"Well, I'm gonna put the cards and chips away," Sakura said. She made sure to avoid eye contact with Ino.

"Sure," Ino said, helping her gather the materials.

Together, they organized the chips and cards, working side by side in silence. Sakura closed the box, putting it away back inside the cupboard. With nothing else to keep her hands busy, she sat down at the dining table again, nursing a can of beer between her hands.

Sakura bit her lip. It was the first time she had been left completely alone with Ino. Every other time, Kakashi, Sasuke, or Naruto had been there as well. To her dismay, Sakura could only think about the last conversation earlier in the day. _Was she flirting with me or is it just wishful thinking on my part?_

Abruptly, she recalled the last night they had spent completely alone together. She tried to push the image of Ino panting and blushing out of her mind, but was only partially successful. She felt her face heating up. Embarrassed, she looked past Ino to stare at the wall. _Sakura, this is not the time to get horny. Focus on your fate out in space._

"How long is it going to take to fix the navigation system?" Ino asked after a few minutes of silence.

Sakura startled, taken out of her thoughts. "I-I'm not sure," she said. "It depends on exactly what the problem is. It could take an hour or it could take two weeks. Don't worry though. Kakashi knows what he's doing. We'll probably be on our way back to our mission in no time." She hoped she wouldn't be wrong on that count.

Ino nodded in acknowledgment before frowning thoughtfully. It was a very cute expression on her face. "Has it ever happened before?" she asked.

_No, because I'm usually not stupid enough to skip calibration._

"Never before," she said. "I'm not sure what happened. But everything will be fine. Try not to worry."

Sakura felt her sweat pouring down her back at the lie.

"I-I hope so," Ino said. "I mean, you're here too, right? You know how the system works. I believe in you, Sakura."

Sakura's stomach felt heavier than before. She chuckled, louder than expected, trying to hide her guilt. "Yup! That's me!" she said. "Always ready for anything!"

If Ino noticed anything strange about her attitude, she didn't show it. Instead, she pouted, staring worriedly at the can of beer cradled inside her hands. Sakura couldn't stand it anymore. _I can't be both horny and guilty at the same time. I'm gonna get a heart attack._

"Well..." Sakura stood up, drained the last of her beer, and waved goodbye. "I'm gonna go turn in for the night. I'll check in on Kakashi first. Good night."

Ino frowned before glancing at the ship's clock. To Sakura's dismay, it was only a few minutes past six o'clock, too early to realistically fall asleep.

"Uh, good night?" Ino said, frown deepening.

"Good night!" Sakura said. She dropped her empty can in the recycling bin and ran away. She sighed when the galley door closed automatically behind her. _Well, I'm never spending time alone with her again._

Defeated, she walked to the cockpit where Kakashi was working on repairs. He was lying on his back, peering at the complex mechanism with a flashlight. She tapped his thigh with her foot.

"How's it looking, Kakashi-sensei?" she asked.

Kakashi sighed. "Not good," he confessed. "I have no idea where everything got disconnected. The last calibration was really critical."

Sakura's guilt grew heavier on her shoulders. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Kakashi sighed again. "It happens to the best of us," he said in reassurance. "Do you remember when I forgot to update the language system?"

"And we had to use hand signs to communicate with our client?

"Yeah."

"That sucked."

"Indeed."

Sakura sat down next to Kakashi. Kakashi moved back to continue his repair work. They sat together in amiable silence.

"Are you going to tell her?" Kakashi eventually asked.

"Huh? Tell who?"

"Ino. About how this is all your fault."

Sakura felt her face flush red in shame and annoyance. "Why would I tell her?" she asked. "She would only get mad at me. I don't want her else stealing my room again, thank you very much."

Kakashi shook his head. "I think she respects you more now, Sakura," he said. "Maybe you should trust her. She seems like a nice girl."

Sakura looked away and snorted._ Nice? She'll probably try to kill me._

Defeated and with nothing to do, she stood up and walked to her bedroom, saying goodbye to Kakashi.

To her surprise, she found Ino outside her bedroom door. She was sitting on the floor, her knees pressed up against her chest. She looked up when Sakura approached

"Ino!" Sakura said.

"Sakura," Ino said, biting her lip. Sakura tried to look past her to stare at the wall instead. _Why is she so hot?_

"W-what's wrong?" she stuttered and wanted to slap herself. _Like I'm not being suspicious at all._

Ino shook her head. "Nothing is wrong, per se," she said. "But..." she stared down at the floor. "I'm just... a little nervous. You know, about everything."

"Oh... uh, yeah."

"I just wanted some comfort."

"I understand." Sakura placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Everything will be alright, Ino."

"I mean, like how Sasuke and Naruto comfort each other," Ino added. She frowned at Sakura, obviously frustrated for a reason Sakura could not understand.

Sakura wrapped her arms around Ino in a nervous hug. "It'll all be fine, Ino."

"It's just... I've been feeling a little lonely recently," Ino said.

"We can go back to Konoha once we get the navigation problem sorted out."

Ino grimaced and huffed impatiently. "Are you being obtuse on purpose, Billboard Brow?" she yelled.

Sakura took a step back, staring at Ino in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Ino rolled her eyes. "I want to spend the night with you!" she said.

"Oh, want to get another beer? We can talk in the galley."

Ino glared at Sakura. "Do you like me, Sakura?" she asked.

"Huh? Yeah! I like you!" Sakura said.

"Do you regret the night we spent together before we had to run away from Orochimaru?"

Sakura flushed and look away. She shook her head. "No, but I'm not sure what that has to do with-"

Ino suddenly took her wrist and pushed her back against the wall. Sakura yelped in surprise as she stared at Ino. To her delight and shame, Ino had both of her arms at her side, keeping her trapped. As Sakura looked at Ino's flushed face she wanted to stay there forevermore.

Ino leaned forward until her face was only a few inches away from Sakura's. Sakura puckered her lips automatically but to her dismay, Ino moved her mouth to her ear instead.

"Can I kiss you?" she whispered.

Sakura felt a shudder of pleasure run down her back. She nodded. Immediately, Ino put her lips on top of hers and pressed her body closer. She ran a hand through Sakura's hair. Sakura reciprocated as she combed through Ino's long hair before settling behind her neck.

She felt Ino's tongue pushing insistently. Sakura let her in, letting out a moan of pleasure when their tongues touched.

They kissed for an unknown amount of time. When they broke apart, both of them were breathless and flushed with pleasure. Sakura stared into Ino's eyes, panting. To her eternal joy, Ino was looking at her like a goddess.

"Your room or mine?" Ino asked, her voice whispering into her ear. Sakura shivered before placing her hands on Ino's waist.

"Mine," she whispered back. "We're already here."

Ino giggled. Delighted, Sakura pulled Ino inside her bedroom. As soon as the door was closed, Ino pushed her onto the bed, placing her hands on the collar of Sakura's shirt. Before she could take it off, however, Ino's hands moved away and began to run up and down Sakura's thighs. Sakura's body threatened to kill her with desire.

"In case we die, I wanted to have one last night with you," Ino said with a smirk.

Sakura's desire died at once. Guiltily, she sat up on her bed, pushing Ino away. She pulled at her collar, buttoning her shirt back up.

"Huh? What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?" Ino asked, confused.

Sakura shook her head. "It's not you... it's..."

"It's me?" Ino asked. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and frowned at Sakura in annoyance. "Are you going to start getting cliche on me now?"

"No, not like that!" Sakura insisted, sitting up and leaning against her wall. "It's just..."

"Just what?"

"It's just..." Sakura swallowed. "It's just that... It'smyfaultthenavigationsystemisdown," she said in a rush.

Ino blinked. "What?" she asked.

Sakura swallowed. "Do you remember when I went to look for you and Naruto and Sasuke back in Kiri?" she asked.

"Yeah? What about it?"

"Well... you see... I was supposed to check the navigation system while you three were shopping. But I left it half-done and when we came back to the ship, I had forgotten about it."

"So the fact that we're stranded is..."

"My fault! Yes! It's all my fault! I'm sorry! I'm a hypocrite and I'm letting Naruto and Sasuke take the blame for something that was my fault."

Sakura looked away from Ino to stare at her knees. She waited for the inevitable explosion of annoyance. It never came. _Maybe she's so angry she doesn't know what to say._

She tentatively looked up at Ino. Her mouth was wide open and she stared at Sakura in shock.

"I'm sorry," Sakura apologized again.

She felt close to tears as she awaited the explosion of anger. To her surprise, however, Ino began to laugh hysterically instead. Sakura stared at her, perplexed. _What the heck is so funny?_

"So that's why you were so worried earlier!" Ino said through her giggles. "This whole time, I thought you were lying to us and we were actually all about to die."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Ino rolled her eyes. "You have been nervous and jumpy ever since we got the emergency alarm," she explained. "I knew you were hiding something. But I thought you were hiding how desperate the situation was, not how it came to be in the first place."

"Oh," Sakura whispered. She had been so concerned about hiding her mistake, she had never considered what it would look like.

"You were acting really strange," Ino continued. "Especially when you decided to talk to Kakashi without anyone else there. I thought maybe we were going to die and you two were lying about the situation to make us feel better."

"No, I was lying about it being my fault," Sakura said. "So you're not mad at me?"

Ino shook her head before meeting her eyes with a smirk. "Oh, no, believe me, I'm furious," she said. "But the fact that you were so worried about it makes me feel better."

"Oh," Sakura said again. She felt her face burning in shame.

"I mean, nobody's perfect," Ino said, taking Sakura's hands inside hers.

"You are," Sakura said.

Ino snorted. "Believe me, I'm not," she said.

She smirked before pushing Sakura back down. Ino pinned her down, putting her body directly on top of Sakura's. She bent her head forward and kissed her on the lips, almost chaste.

"You're so beautiful," Ino said.

"So are you."

Sakura's hands moved to turn off the lights as Ino began to unbutton her shirt once again.

**O-O-O-O-O**

When Sakura woke up, she was greeted with the sight of Ino's sleeping face. Her mouth was slightly open and she could hear gentle snores coming from her. Sakura was close enough to count her freckles. _God, she's beautiful._

She stared at Ino for a long time, running a hand through her hair when the desire threatened to overwhelm her. She could have stared at her for hours more. However, Sakura's bladder protested. She extricated herself from Ino's grip as carefully as possible.

She sat up and stretched her arms over her head, feeling her joints crack at the effort. She put on a set of pajamas before leaving her room and heading to the bathroom. From there, she moved to the galley for a cup of coffee.

She was greeted with the sight of already-prepared breakfast and her teammates. Naruto was staring at the table with a cup of coffee in his hands. He smiled at her wanly, his eyes full of suppressed panic. Sasuke was at his side, leaning his head on Naruto's shoulder as he took a sip of coffee. Sakura joined them at the table with a sigh.

"Where is Ino?" Naruto asked.

"She's uh..." Sakura felt her face heat up involuntarily._ I guess I should tell them we're together now?_

"So you two hooked up again?" Naruto asked, his eyes brightening at once.

Sakura nodded, too embarrassed to say anything else.

Sasuke grunted. "Damn it. Lost the bet."

Naruto giggled. "I knew it! I told you they'd do it before we started the next mission, ya know!"

Sakura punched both of them on the shoulder. They flinched, faces looking slightly ashamed. _Stop making bets about my love life!_

She grabbed a slice of toast, munching on it angrily. Sasuke handed a cup of coffee- sweet and milky, just how she liked it. She accepted the unspoken apology.

They ate together, talking about whatever came to mind. To her relief, Naruto and Sasuke, while still nervous, no longer radiated an aura of panic. She knew her actions from the day before had made them worry more. A stab of guilt ran through her heart once more.

When Sakura was nearly done with the first slice of toast, the galley door opened behind them. Ino stood at the entrance, wearing Sakura's clothes: a large T-shirt she had stolen from Naruto.

"Good morning," she said with a yawn. "Am I the last one up?"

"Looks like it," Naruto said before gesturing to the empty chair next to Sakura. "Kakashi is still working on fixing the navigation system."

"Oh, yes," Ino muttered with a smirk. "I'm sure he knows what caused the problem by now."

Sakura hoped her face wasn't as red as it felt. She cleared her throat. Ino's smirk only widened as she sat down next to Sakura. Sakura squeezed Ino's hand, sending a silent plea._ Please don't tell them it was my fault._

Ino smiled at her and gave her a look that could mean a million things. Sakura sighed._ I guess if she tattles I deserve it._

Ino, however, didn't say anything and instead, she grabbed a piece of toast that was on the table. She began eating, keeping her hand wrapped around Sakura's the entire time. They ate breakfast as a team. To her dismay and amusement, Naruto and Sasuke kept throwing them teasing looks.

They stayed at the galley after they finished breakfast. Naruto cleaned up while Sakura, Ino, and Sasuke remained at the table, drinking coffee. _Life sure has gotten back to normal._

They were considering starting a game when Kakashi stepped inside. They turned to look at him expectantly.

"Good news, everyone," he said. "I figured out what the problem was and the navigation system has been re-calibrated. I already set our coordinates to our next mission location."

"That's great!" Ino said, beaming at their captain.

Naruto cheered and Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. Even Sasuke looked less stressed as his shoulders relaxed and he leaned back in his chair.

"So you figured out the problem?" Sasuke asked.

Kakashi nodded. "Sakura helped me figure out what caused it in the first place," he explained. "With that, it was relatively easy to find where I had to recalculate and reconnect some stuff." He glanced at Sakura at that, raising an eyebrow. Sakura felt a guilty blush rising to the surface. _Sorry._

"How long until we arrive on Xandar?" Sakura asked, hoping her voice did not betray her guilt.

"A day or so at this speed," he said. "We have more than enough time to play a game and relax."

"Poker?" Naruto asked cheekily. Sasuke paled and groaned, but nodded. Ino giggled at the sight while Sakura smirked. _Prepare to lose your money, Sasuke!_

"I'll go get the cards," Kakashi said. He walked toward the cupboard containing their entertainment supplies.

"Oh, by the way, Kakashi," Naruto began. Kakashi turned to him curiously. Naruto smirked. "You owe me a thousand units!" he said.

Kakashi's eyes widened and he looked between Sakura and Ino. On his face was a mixture of shock and disappointment.

"Couldn't you two have waited until we made landfall?" he whined. Sakura punched him on the shoulder. "Stop making bets about my love life!" she shouted.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Ino giggling.

**O-O-O-O-O**

**This story is finished! It was pretty fun to write, I have to say.**


End file.
